SPENCE CORRESPONDENCE
AUDREY MELTON
DISPATCHED FROM: PALM SPRINGS, CA
MARCH 2026
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The desert has a way of sharpening things. Audrey Melton arrived in Palm Springs during Indian Wells with a camera, a tennis racquet, and the same instinct she brings to both — pay attention, or you'll miss it.
The Brooklyn-based photographer, whose work appears in the New Yorker and the New York Times as readily as it does for Levi's and Red Bull, has a gift for finding the pulse of a place.
Below, some images and musings from the margins of the tournament — hopping between favorite haunts, hidden courts, and the sun-drenched spots that make the desert worth the drive.
The Pocket Brief in its natural habitat.
Courtside @ Indian Wells
King's Highway | Ace Hotel
RAPID RALLY!
FAVORITE SPENCE PIECE(S)?
The Sport Knit Pleated Skirt is insanely multifunctional. I wear it to hit, out to dinner, and it’s reversible. It’s basically four different pieces in one. The Logo Sweatshirt is also the most comfy sweatshirt I’ve ever worn.
POST-SESSION COFFEE/TEA/MEAL STOP?
Iced coffee at Milk & Pull or Rita & Maria.
WHERE CAN THE SPENCE CREW KEEP UP WITH YOU?
IG: @audreymelton
WEB: audreymelton.com